Lorthos, the Tidemaker MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Lorthos the Tidemaker swings into play, it demands immediate attention. If it connects with an opponent, Lorthos has the potential to take control of the game by seizing their lands or key permanents, preventing them from executing their strategy effectively. This tactical advantage often translates into card advantage, as neutralizing your opponent’s resources can be just as powerful as drawing cards.

Resource Acceleration: Although Lorthos does not directly provide resource acceleration, its presence can indirectly affect resource dynamics on the board. By locking down an opponent’s lands or mana-producing creatures, Lorthos can effectively accelerate your advantage by slowing down others. Controlling the pace of the game allows for strategic setup, forcing opponents to deal with your threats instead of developing their own.

Instant Speed: While Lorthos the Tidemaker itself doesn’t have abilities that function at instant speed, its threat level encourages players to keep mana open. Post-deployment of Lorthos, opponents often have to adjust their plays and hold instant-speed answers to anticipate its attacks. This reactive playstyle imposed on your adversaries can often work in your favor, allowing you to dictate the tempo of the match.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Though Lorthos the Tidemaker does not have a discard requirement itself, it does often necessitate sizable hand resources to effectively utilize its abilities. This can lead to situations where you’re forced to discard other valuable cards to maintain control of the board.

Specific Mana Cost: Lorthos comes with a specific mana requirement comprising a significant amount of blue mana symbols in its cost. This makes it a card that can only be efficiently played in mono-blue or heavily blue-focused decks, potentially limiting its versatility in a varied MTG meta.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in at eight mana, Lorthos the Tidemaker is a substantial investment in terms of resources. While its effect of tapping down potential threats can be game-changing, its high mana cost means it comes into play later in the game, and players must survive early game aggression without its presence on the board.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Lorthos the Tidemaker shines in Commander decks as it allows for control over opponents’ permanents, aligning with a variety of strategies that aim to dictate the pace of the game.

Combo Potential: When combined with cards that untap creatures or prolong turns, Lorthos’s ability can be exploited to lock down an opponent’s resources, carving a path for your victory.

Meta-Relevance: In a format where large, impactful creatures can turn the tide, Lorthos serves as a formidable threat. Its ability to neutralize potential blockers or key combo pieces of opponents makes it a valuable addition in a constantly evolving meta-game.

How to beat

Lorthos the Tidemaker presents a formidable presence in the deep-strategy game of Magic: The Gathering. This octopus legend makes waves with its potential to lock down numerous permanents, rendering an opponent’s battlefield nearly inoperative. When Lorthos swings, its eight-tentacle tap-down can quickly turn the tides in your opponent’s favor.

Defeating Lorthos requires a twofold strategy: prevention and elimination. Keeping mana open for counterspells helps disrupt its casting, while board wipes clear the path after its landing. Quick removal spells like Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization provide a cost-effective means to address this sea monster without sinking your mana pool. In multiplayer formats, diplomacy can also be key, pooling threats with others may coerce a Lorthos controller to think twice before unleashing its oceanic onslaught.

So, while Lorthos the Tidemaker has the power to dominate the seas of MTG, strategic planning and the right mix of spells can ensure that this leviathan leads to a player’s downfall rather than their dominion. Having a game plan for robust creatures like Lorthos in your deck or strategy can very much be the difference between sinking or swimming in the game.

BurnMana Recommendations

As we submerge ourselves into the depths of MTG, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of Lorthos the Tidemaker is crucial. This sea giant can dictate the flow of battle, tapping into the power of the ocean to control the board. Its high mana cost and specific blue requirement may pose challenges, however, its ability to create an advantage through board manipulation is unmatched. For those commanding the helm of a blue-focused or Commander deck, including Lorthos could ensure you have the upper hand. Consider the potential, measure your strategy, and you might just reel in triumph with this tidal force in your deck. Dive into our full guide to master the wake of Lorthos’s power.